Give for dads this Father’s Day
Kelvin and his daughter Natalie revisit nurses Lily, Jessie and Caitlyn on Ward 2 West
The Alfred has launched its 2019 Father’s Day Appeal, asking Victorians to ‘G1ve 4 Life’ to help provide critical care and services for dads and their families when they need it most.
The Alfred Father’s Day Appeal will aim to raise $1M for services and research in trauma care, cancer services, adult cardiac care, preventive health and mental health services.
This year, the appeal will take place on Friday August 30. Thanks to The Alfred’s generous partners, all donations made up until that date will be multiplied by four, ensuring your dollar has four times the impact.
Since the inaugural Father’s Day Appeal's in 2000, the community has generously donated more than $8M. This generosity has made a huge impact across The Alfred.
The Alfred is home to the largest and busiest trauma service in Australasia, admitting 9,000 patients each year. More than 1,500 of these, including patient Kelvin Tennant, arrive with life threatening injuries.
Kelvin was the victim of a horrific random attack in Northern Victoria in 2017. He was shot three times in the head and chest in an unprovoked attack.
The 74-year-old father of three and grandfather of eight arrived at The Alfred in a life threatening condition. He had two bullets removed, but doctors deemed it too risky to remove fragments from the third bullet in the right side of his face.
According to Kelvin, he is incredibly lucky the bullet fragments lodged where they did.
“If a few fragments had gone further, I could have slurred speech, balance problems and the right side of my face could be frozen,” he said. “The doctor said to me they had never seen a scan like mine before.”
Two years on from the attack and Kelvin considers himself incredibly lucky - and is urging the community to get behind The Alfred this Father's Day. This week he came back to visit with nurses Lily, Jessie and Caitlyn who remember him from his time on Ward 2 West.
“Everyone at The Alfred has been marvellous. Thanks to the incredible nurses and staff, I am alive and I am here with my family, watching my grandchildren grow up.”